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The issue has been thrown into the spotlight by a study of all women aged 65 to 83 diagnosed with cervical cancer in England over a five-year period.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London found that women who did not go for a smear in their 50s or 60s were four times as likely to develop cervical cancer as those who had regular checks, the journal PLOS Medicine reports.

And those who did not attend were six times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than those who had three smear tests that produced negative results.

Smear tests collect cells from the cervix of womb lining that could be cancerous, like those shown here

Researcher Peter Sasieni said: ‘Screening may not be pleasant but it is quick and relatively painless and often prevents an aggressive cancer later in life.’

He added that as cervical cancer takes a long time to develop, the protection offered by regular smear tests in later life can extend into a woman’s 80s.

This means that as the population ages, the NHS should consider extending the upper age limit for smear tests. He estimates that giving women one final smear test at the age of 70 could prevent up to 200 cases of cervical cancer and save 100 lives a year.

Jessica Kirby, of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said: ‘These results provide reassurance that there is a real benefit to women over 50 having cervical cancer screening.

‘Screening can pick up abnormal cells that could develop into cervical cancer if left alone. Removing these cells prevents cancer from developing.’

Robert Music, chief executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: ‘Cervical cancer can be a slow-developing disease and you only need to be sexually active once in your lifetime to be at risk.’